title: Vitamin D deficiency in Egyptian mothers and their neonates and possible related factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate vitamin D level in Egyptian mothers with that of their newborns, and examine risk factors related to maternal vitamin D deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out at the university teaching hospital in Cairo, Egypt. Serum 25(OH) D levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 135 pregnant women at ≥37 weeks' gestation immediately before delivery and in cord blood of their newborns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of serum 25(OH) D were 32.6 ± 21.4 ng/ml in mothers and 16.7 ± 10 ng/ml in their newborns. Maternal vitamin D level was strongly correlated with that of the newborns (r = 0.7, p < 0.0001). Maternal vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and neonatal vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency were encountered in (40%, 28.9% and 60%, 32.6% respectively). Maternal vitamin D levels showed significant correlations with maternal body mass index (BMI; r = -0.201, p = 0.021), gestational age at delivery (r = 0.315, p ≤ 0.0001), fish consumption (r = 0.185, p = 0.032), educational level (r = 0.29, p = 0.001), and skin exposure (r = 0.247, p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal vitamin D levels strongly correlate with neonatal levels. Maternal vitamin D deficiency is a real problem in Egypt; this is generally related to high BMI, low fish consumption, low educational level, and limited skin exposure.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Department .
authors.forename: Nihal Mohamed
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: El Rifai
authors.forename: Ghada Abdel Fattah
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Abdel Moety
authors.forename: Hassan Mostafa
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gaafar
authors.forename: Dalia Ahmed
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hamed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Mothers; neonates; vitamin D